Word Dictionary [050716]

Word of the day: magpieDefinition: n. a European and American crow, Pica pica, with a long pointed tail and black and white plumage.Synonyms: scavenger, pack ratEtymology: Mag, abbr. of Margaret PIE(2) (more…)

pronunciation: ˈmæɡpaɪ

from Oxford: magpie

n.1 a European and American crow, Pica pica, with a long pointed tail and black and white plumage.2 any of various birds with plumage like a magpie, esp. Gymnorhina tibicen of Australia.3 an idle chatterer.4 a person who collects things indiscriminately.5 a the division of a circular target next to the outer one. b a rifle shot which strikes this.Etymology: Mag, abbr. of Margaret + PIE(2)

Quote of the day: All the things one has forgotten scream for help in dreams. by Elias Canetti

Garzia de’ Medici

Birthday of the day: Garzia de’ Medici; Garzia de’ Medici (July 5, 1547 – December 6, 1562) was the son of Cosimo I de’ Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany and Eleonora di Toledo. He was the subject of a famous painting by Bronzino when he was an infant. He was born in Florence and died of malaria along with his mother while traveling to Pisa, a few days after his brother Giovanni also died of the disease.

Joke of the day: Before going to Europe on business, a man drives his Rolls-Royce to a downtown New York City bank and asks for an immediate loan of $5,000. The loan officer, taken aback, requests collateral. ‘Well then, here are the keys to my Rolls-Royce,’ the man says. The loan officer promptly has the car driven into the bank’s underground parking for safe keeping and gives the man the $5,000. Two weeks later, the man walks through the bank’s doors and asks to settle up his loan and get his car back. ‘That will be $5,000 in principal, and $15.40 in interest,’ the loan officer says. The man writes out a check and starts to walk away. ‘Wait, sir,’ the loan officer says. ‘You are a millionaire. Why in the world would you need to borrow $5,000?’ The man smiles, ‘Where else could I find a safer place to park my Rolls-Royce in Manhattan for two weeks and pay only $15.40?’

Thought of the day: The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.